This invention broadly relates to data communication equipment and more particularly to a modem or the like which has built-in compatability with the defined parameters of a plurality of countries.
Data communication equipment (DCE) such as modems are well known and developed in the arts. Indeed, various organizations (e.g. CCITT and Bell) have developed detailed specifications for data communication equipment to establish a certain uniformity and compatability and permit the devices to communicate one with the other. Another aspect of the specifications is the interface of the communication equipment with the communication lines (network) over which data transfers occur, and the use of those lines. With regard to the use of communication lines, it will be appreciated that national and/or local phone companies may have certain specifications or parameters which assume different values in different countries or locales. For example, a telephone pulse dial digit is composed of pulses having a make/break (length of time a signal is generated/length of time no signal is output) combination which is different in different countries. A digit "2" thus generally consists of two consecutive pulses, except, e.g., in New Zealand where reverse pulse dialing is present and a "2" consists of eight (10- 2) consecutive pulses. Also, the pulses must be generated at a fixed rate called "pulses per second" which vary by country. The interval between dialed digits ("interdigit gap") to prevent confusion of digits is also prescribed by the various countries. The make/break ratio, reverse pulse dialing, interdigit gap, and pulses per second are just some of the parameters prescribed differently by different countries which are used to define pulse dialing operation. It will be appreciated that all data communication equipment in the respective countries must be able to generate and recognize the required pulse dialing signals of the particular country of operation. Thus, presently, to accommodate the various differing parameters of the various countries, data communication devices are built with their hardware and software arranged specifically for the country of use. The same DCE which is tailored for use in a first country is therefore not useable in a second country.